Loan
Federal
Active
PacifiCan Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII) for British Columbia
Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan)
Loan Range
$200K to $5M, repayable
Business intake closes November 23, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. Pacific time
Difficulty
Hard
Payment
Reimbursement
Trend
Growing
First-Timers
—
Financing share
50%
PacifiCan Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII) for British Columbia provides $200K to $5M, repayable. PacifiCan's delivery of the federal Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative lends B.C. businesses interest-free, repayable contributions of $200,000 to $5 million per project, covering up to 50% of eligible costs, to adopt AI in their operations or to commercialize late-stage AI technology. The program covers up to 50% of eligible costs. Business intake closes November 23, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. Pacific time.
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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Program Description
PacifiCan's delivery of the federal Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative lends B.C. businesses interest-free, repayable contributions of $200,000 to $5 million per project, covering up to 50% of eligible costs, to adopt AI in their operations or to commercialize late-stage AI technology. Adoption projects need an incorporated business operating in B.C. for at least three years with 5 to 500 full-time equivalent employees; commercialization projects need at least one year and 1 to 500. The current intake, for projects funded from 2026-27, closes at noon Pacific on November 23, 2026; future intakes are planned for non-profits and SMEs for investments starting after April 1, 2027.
Eligibility Requirements
- Adoption projects: incorporated businesses operating in British Columbia for at least three years with 5 to 500 full-time equivalent employees
- Commercialization projects: incorporated businesses operating in British Columbia for at least one year with 1 to 500 full-time equivalent employees
- Commercialization projects are normally at Technology Readiness Level 7 to 9; TRL 6 may be considered by exception for strong economic benefits or alignment with program priorities
- Adoption projects must integrate AI into business processes or products; routine purchases of off-the-shelf AI software without significant customization and integration are not the intent
- At least 50% of project funding must come from non-government sources, confirmed at application and again before approval
- Projects must show measurable economic benefits for British Columbians and Canadians, including jobs created and revenue growth
- The current intake is for businesses; non-profit organizations are asked to contact PacifiCan, and a future intake for them is planned for investments starting after April 1, 2027
- Indigenous businesses may be eligible for more flexible funding terms
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Hard
Competition
High
First-Timer
Not rated
Funding Details
- Amount
- $200K to $5M, repayableInterest-free repayable contributions of $200,000 to $5 million per project, covering up to 50% of eligible project costs. At least 50% of project funding must come from non-government sources and be confirmed at the time of application. Typical repayment begins one year after project completion, in monthly instalments over five years, with no collateral and no penalty for early repayment.
- Type
- Loan
- Level
- Federal
- Financing share
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Business intake closes November 23, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. Pacific time
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
High
Deadline
Nov 23, 2026
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
2/5
Difficult — significant preparation needed
Competition
4/5
High competition — many applicants
Difficulty
4/5
Complex — detailed documentation needed
Processing Time
Budget Trend
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How to qualify
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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Rejection Pitfalls 8
- Business is not incorporated, or has operated in B.C. for less than the stream's minimum (three years for adoption, one year for commercialization)
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Success Profile
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Evaluation Criteria
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All 8 pitfalls, the checklist and the reviewer notes are in the Playbook below. See what it includes ↓
What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to secure RAII
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 8 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 6-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 5-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what lenders look for
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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5 steps
6 docs
Application Steps
1
Check your stream Adoption: incorporated, three years operating in B.C., 5 to 500 FTEs. Commercialization: incorporated, one year in B.C., 1 to 500 FTEs, normally TRL 7 to 9.
Required Documents 6
✓ Complete application in the PacifiCan application portal
✓ Completed RAII Supplemental Form (PDF)
Eligible Expenses 8
Ineligible Expenses 7
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
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The full guide for this program also covers:
- 4 more application steps
- 4 more required documents
- 8 eligible expenses
- 7 ineligible expenses
- Deadline notes
- Ineligible organizations
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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Combined Funding Potential
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Clawback Risk
Not-applicable Risk
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How RAII Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about RAII
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Is PacifiCan RAII funding a grant?
No. Businesses receive interest-free repayable contributions. Typical repayment starts one year after the project ends and runs monthly over five years, with no collateral and no early-repayment penalty.
How much can a business get?
$200,000 to $5 million per project, covering up to 50% of eligible project costs.
Who can apply?
Incorporated businesses operating in B.C.: for adoption projects, at least three years with 5 to 500 FTE employees; for commercialization projects, at least one year with 1 to 500 FTE employees.
Can a non-profit apply now?
Not in the current intake, which is for businesses. PacifiCan invites interested non-profits to contact it and plans future intakes for non-profits and SMEs for investments starting after April 1, 2027.
What counts as the matching funding?
At least 50% of project funding must come from non-government sources, shown with documents such as bank statements, unused lines of credit, funding letters or signed term sheets. Forecast revenue and SR&ED receivables do not count.
When is the deadline?
12:00 p.m. Pacific time on November 23, 2026.
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Full Playbook: RAII
5 steps · 6 docs · reviewer insights